Rogue and Nightcrawler's Family Tree, Explained

Every family has secrets, but Rogue and Nightcrawler's family tree holds an uncanny amount of them. As time unearthed new revelations about their relatives, Rogue and Nightcrawler's extended family tree branched off in several surprising directions.

While Anna Marie and Kurt Wagner may not be related by blood, their lives were fundamentally altered by Mystique and Destiny, Nightcrawler's biological parent and Rogue's adoptive mother. For over a century, Raven Darkhölme went on adventures filled with secret affairs and forgotten children that put her at the center of a sprawling family.

Just as Nightcrawler and Rogue join forces in UNCANNY X-MEN (2024) #3 by Gail Simone and David Marquez, let's break down their complicated family tree by looking at where its branches have grown throughout the Marvel Universe.

Whether they're related by blood, marriage, or adoption, the members of Rogue, Nightcrawler, and Mystique's extended family have all left their marks on the X-Men's world.

NIGHTCRAWLER

Despite Nightcrawler growing up unaware of his biological family, Mystique taunted the teleporter about their connection and shared blue skin during their first encounter in UNCANNY X-MEN (1963) #142 by Chris Claremont and John Byrne. Nightcrawler eventually learned Mystique was his biological parent in X-MEN UNLIMITED (1993) #4 by Scott Lobdell and Dave Sharpe and immediately came to view Rogue as his sister.

Nightcrawler suspected Mystique was his mother for some time. In X-MEN BLUE: ORIGINS (2023) #1 by Si Spurrier, Wilton Santos, and Marcus To, Mystique explained to Kurt that she used her shape-shifting abilities to conceive him with Destiny, his actual birth mother.

ROGUE

While Nightcrawler and Rogue consider each other siblings today, they did not know about their familial connection for years. In sharp contrast to Nightcrawler's more stable upbringing, Rogue was a runaway. Mystique and Destiny found Rogue as a child and raised her together in a relatively peaceful environment in Caldecott County, Mississippi.

Rogue also joined Mystique and Destiny when they reformed the Brotherhood of Evil Mutants. During this period, she absorbed Carol Danvers' memories and powers. This set Rogue on a different path, steering her away from her parents and towards a new home with the X-Men. All three women hold a lasting affection for each other, even after meeting as enemies.

MYSTIQUE AND DESTINY

Mystique and Destiny have loved each other since meeting in the late 19th century, despite other paramours and lengthy separations. Guided by Destiny's visions of the future, the couple conceived Nightcrawler while posing as a noblewoman and her handmaid. To ensure their son would grow up a hero, Destiny organized Nightcrawler's adoption and requested that Professor X erase her and Mystique's memories of their son's birth.

Following a long separation, the couple reconciled and reunited when Destiny found Rogue. After their reformed Brotherhood evolved into the government-sponsored Freedom Force, Destiny died in UNCANNY X-MEN (1963) #255 by Chris Claremont and Marc Silvestri.

On Krakoa, mutants developed a way to resurrect the dead through cloning. However, mutant leaders feared Destiny's precognitive capabilities and stalled in resurrecting her. Mystique fought to bring her wife back to life—she threatened to burn all of Krakoa down if necessary. Once reunited, Mystique and Destiny renewed their vows in X-MEN: THE WEDDING SPECIAL (2024) #1 by Kieron Gillen and Rachael Stott.

AZAZEL

Before Nightcrawler understood his relationship with Mystique, he believed his biological father to be a demonic mutant called Azazel, who debuted in UNCANNY X-MEN (1963) #428 by Chuck Austen and Sean Phillips. In the past, Mystique had a brief affair with Azazel, even using some of his genetic material to conceive Nightcrawler when Destiny wanted a child.

Destiny later revealed she orchestrated the birth and adoption of Nightcrawler to ensure he would grow up to stop Azazel from taking over the world. Alongside the X-Men, Nightcrawler succeeded in that mission on multiple occasions.

NIGHTCRAWLER'S ADOPTIVE FAMILY

As part of her plans for Nightcrawler, Destiny gave her infant son to the sorceress Margali Szardos, who debuted in X-MEN ANNUAL (1970) #4 by Chris Claremont and John Romita Jr. As part of a traveling circus, Margali raised Kurt alongside her biological children, Stephan and Jimaine.

Nightcrawler's relationship with his adoptive siblings proved to be complicated. While Kurt and Jimaine fell in love, the townspeople also believed the mutant teleporter to be responsible for his adoptive brother’s death. When Kurt joined the X-Men, Jimaine followed him to America, where she took the name Amanda Sefton and resumed their off-and-on romance.

As a user of a mystical practice called the Winding Way, Margali's unstable power waxed and waned. She would come to encounter Nightcrawler as both an ally and an enemy. Meanwhile, Amanda used her mystic powers alongside Nightcrawler on the mutant team Excalibur. She died closing a portal her mother created.

ROGUE'S BIOLOGICAL FAMILY

Rogue's biological parents were a young couple named Priscilla and Owen. The free-wheeling newlyweds were members of a naturalistic hippie community in Caldecott County, Mississippi. When their commune tried to travel to a metaphysical dimension called the Far Banks, only Priscilla successfully jumped into the dream-based astral plane.

With Priscilla presumed dead, her sister Aunt Carrie helped Rogue's grieving father raise the adolescent Anna Marie. However, Rogue bristled against her aunt's strict rules and discipline, running away from home and into the arms of Mystique and Destiny.

GAMBIT

After stealing Rogue's heart during their time on the X-Men, Gambit became the newest member of Rogue's family when he finally married his long-time love. Rogue and Gambit might recall their first encounter differently, but the pair first met when Shadow King briefly took over the X-Men's minds, as detailed in ROGUE & GAMBIT (2018) #2 by Kelly Thompson and Pere Perez.

Their relationship experienced complications due to Rogue's power-absorbing abilities and Gambit's shadowy past. The couple worked through these struggles, affirming their commitment to their relationship. In a surprise move, Gambit proposed to Rogue when Kitty Pryde left Colossus at the altar. Mr. and Mrs. X got married in X-MEN: GOLD (2017) #30 by Marc Guggenheim and David Marquez.

GRAYDON CREED

Mystique has several other children beyond Nightcrawler and Rogue, including the mutant-hating Graydon Creed. Despite having Mystique and Sabretooth as parents, Graydon was born human. After Mystique abandoned Graydon, he formed the Friends of Humanity, an influential anti-mutant organization.

Graydon later ran for President, only to be assassinated by a time-traveling Mystique. After his resurrection, Graydon joined the mutant-hating Orchis and traveled through the Multiverse to kill or capture variants of his father, Sabretooth. Graydon transformed himself into a cyborg and took the codename Bad Seed, fighting Wolverine and X-Force until Sabretooth finally tore out his heart.

RAZE AND CHARLES XAVIER II

When the Brotherhood of Evil Mutants from an alternate future traveled to the main Marvel Universe, the X-Men battled Raze Darkhölme and Charles Xavier II, Mystique's sons with Wolverine and Professor X, in X-MEN: BATTLE OF THE ATOM (2013) #1 by Brian Michael Bendis and Frank Cho. A powerful telepath, Charles formed a new Brotherhood to fight the X-Men, who he believed disrespected his father's dream.

Taking after his parents, Raze wields Adamantium claws, also inheriting his mother's blue skin and shape-shifting powers. The X-Men defeated Charles, Raze, and their Brotherhood.

TREVOR CHASE

During her time separated from Mystique, Destiny had a daughter named Justine, who married a man named Cole Chase. Justine and Cole gave Destiny a grandson in Trevor Chase, a powerful reality-warping mutant who first appeared in X-FACTOR (1986) #127 by Howard Mackie and Jeff Matsuda.

Before her death, Destiny ensured that Justine and Mystique were friendly. The shape-shifting mutant watched over her deceased wife's family, protecting them from threats.

When Sabretooth tried to attack Mystique, he targeted the Chase family and murdered Justine and Cole. Although Trevor survived, he was taken into the Hound Program. However, X-Factor came to the rescue and prevented Trevor from being brainwashed into hunting mutants.

BLINDFOLD

Years after Destiny's death, the X-Men recruited Ruth Aldine, a telepathic mutant with powers that gave her disorienting visions of the future. After she joined the young X-Men as Blindfold, Ruth crossed paths with Destiny during one of her brief resurrections. This happened when Blindfold intercepted one of Destiny's messages to Rogue.

When the two precognitive mutants finally met face-to-face, Destiny confirmed they shared a family tree, explaining the origin of their telepathic connection. Destiny revealed to Ruth that she was probably her great-grandmother in X-MEN: LEGACY (2008) #233 by Mike Carey and Clay Mann. The two embraced as Destiny shared details about her immediate family's life to the young X-Man.

Catch up with Rogue and Nightcrawler in UNCANNY X-MEN (2024) #3, available now!

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